B Jung Yoon Seok Alex Ancient History Unit III


What do religion and Philosophy have in common?

Religion and philosophies are share numerous common ideas and factors. Basically, they are both widely accepted by a wide range of people around the globe. People understand and take their beliefs into it. Furthermore, religion and philosophies may act as a guideline for the people, as the people will be devoted to what the religion states. Religion and philosophies are powerful things, despite their significance.

Why is the study of religion and philosophy important?

The study of religion and philosophy provide a general outline for a person. The beliefs one has can significantly affect his/her life in any ways. The cultural differences between the religions and philosophies may also provide different ideas. People will different ideas will argue, fight, or even share their ideas. Humans tend to be really sensitive when it comes to religion, as it is what they believe in and trust with their hearts.



Religion Project


Script



Zen Buddhism Project

What is Zen Buddhism:
Japanese Zen Buddhism, or “Ch’an” Buddhism in Chinese, means meditation, or Dhyana. Zen is considered to be both a philosophy and religion; however it’s neither. Zen Buddhism is just to see life as it is without use of acumen. The founder of Zen Buddhism, . Bodhidharma explained Zen Buddhism isn’t something that you learn from books, but something you learn from your mind. Zen Buddhists usually practice through the study of literature and meditation. Furthermore, Japanese Zen Buddhism has three schools: Soto, Rinzai, and Obaku.
bodhidharma.jpg

Goals:
Zen’s goal is to think for oneself despite the attacks of logic and language. Consequently, Zen Buddhism repudiates the idea of scriptures, religious acts, and devotional practices. The main goal of Zen Buddhism is to attain a spiritual enlightenment called satori. Satori basically means “individual enlightenment” and is considered as a first step to becoming a nirvana. Satori is earned by self experience and sometimes by the use of koans.


Origin
In the sixth century, Zen Buddhism was introduced to the Japanese. Starting in the twelfth to fifteenth century, it was being spread through Zen Buddhists. Due to the fact that Zen was a foreign idea, it wasn’t very successful. Starting in 1185-1333, or the Medieval Japanese period, Zen started to prosper, and it was part of a routine among the Japanese nobles.

Pali Canon
The Pali Canon is one of the oldest written records of Buddha’s teachings, and is the only complete early version that has survived more or less intact. Its texts represent teachings from the time before the Buddhist community divided into different schools. The Pali Canon covers a wide range of topics, which clarifies many fundamental Buddhist doctrines including the path of spiritual development and transformation, and compassion. In Zen, these texts are foundational, and they always have the flexible Zen spirit of Suzuki roshi’s “beginner’s mind”.

zazen.jpg
Practices
As said before, the Zen Buddhism is usually practiced by meditation and literature. However, meditation is more favored as Zen concentrates on the earning of enlightenment through experience.

- Zazen


Zazen is basically a method of sitting meditation. The basic position of zazen is seated with folded legs and arms and a straight spine. The hands would
be where the stomach is and one would keep their eyes half closed so that they will not receive any distractions nor fall asleep.

- Koan

Koans are considered as an important part of Zen Buddhism. The Koan is a document referring to the statements made by Zen masters or dialogues between the masters and the students. It also consists of questions or riddles that student may have to answer to gain the experience needed in Zen Buddhism. The main goal of the study of Koan is to open the mind and perception to the truth.

Principal Texts

- Heart Sutra

The heart sutra is the most well-known and most popular text in Zen Buddhism. Despite its short length, it contains deep meanings and teachings in it. The basic core of the heart sutra is “form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” It is usually chanted in meetings, funerals, and even meditation practices.

- Diamond Sutra
The diamond sutra is also considered as an important text in Zen Buddhism. The diamond sutra is beyond religion, and reached far out to the reality we all are faced with. The diamond sutra is probably the most popular among the texts of Prajnaparamita, which is the body of sutras and commentaries representing the essence of the Mahayana Buddhism.


Temples
Many of the Zen monks reside in temples to focus on the goals set by the religion of Zen Buddhism. There are myriads of temples in Japan, and they are greatly affected by the cultures set by Zen Buddhism. The temples in Japan usually have similar styles and buildings. These are some of the buildings that are usually in Zen temples.
main_hall.jpg
- Main Hall
The main hall is basically the center of the temple as sacred objects like statues are placed there. You would be able to clearly see the main hall when you enter a temple. These main halls are called kondo, hondo, or amidado in Japanese.

- Lecture Hall
The lecture halls are for meetings and a place to display religious objects. It is like a conference hall of a temple.
meeting_hall.jpg
pagoda.jpg

- Pagoda
Pagodas are towers that were built for religious purposes. They are usually three or five stories high.

- Gates
The gates are basically the entrance to the temple. There are usually many gates, but there is only one main gate.
gate.jpg

- Bell
There is a tradition where the temple bells are rung 108 times on New Year’s Eve. This is because of the concept of Buddha’s 108 desires.

- Cemetery
Most of the cemeteries in Japan are located in temples and families would visit the cemeteries often.
rock_garden.jpg
Ryoanji Temple

The Ryoanji Temple is located in Northern Kyoto and is one of the most famous Zen temples due to its beautiful rock garden. This temple was originally a villa of an aristocrat, but was converted into a temple in 1450. The Ryoanji temple belongs to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. The facts and theories behind the rock garden is unknown. However, the Zen Buddhism did encourage landscape decorations and this garden was certainly affected by that fact.


Engakuji Temple

The Engakuji Temple is a temple located in the Kanto region of Japan. This temple is also one of the leading Zen temples in Japan and is number two of Kamakura’s great Zen temples. The Engakuji Temple was founded by a man named Hojo Tokimune in 1282. A purpose to the construction of this temple was to pay respect to the soldiers who gave their lives during the war between Japan and Mongolia.
Main.jpg
zen.jpeg



Symbol

The Zen circle represents the beginning of life and the end of life, and the white blank circle represents life itself.


Three Schools of Zen Buddhism

- Soto
Master Dogen first introduced Soto Buddhism into Japan. The Soto teachers taught that Zazen, type of meditation, was the direct, ultimate way to reach Satori, and the meditation that Buddha set after his enlightenment.

- Rinzai
The Rinzai school was first introduced by the Japanese Monk, Myoan Eisai. In Japan, the basic stance of the Rinzai is the self-realization, called kensho, of this “true man without rank”.

- Obaku
Obaku is one of the three Zen sects in Japan, which was founded in 1654. It preserves elements of the Chinese tradition, such as its religious ceremonies, architecture, and teachings.


Citations


Video




Comparison Chart


karma reading



Notes on Confucianism


Tradition and Religion (2 Discussion Questioins)

1. What do you think religion is, and what does it mean to be a religious person? Is Confucius religious? Give your reasons for thinking what you think.

I believe that a religious person is a person who has a belief and is devoted to some sort of idea of thing. Confucius depicts himself as a religious person as he believes in his deeds and spiritual beings. He set his list of beliefs and she truly respects that fact and takes it into action. And since Confucius says that he serves man and spiritual beings, that is really being devoted to something, thus, being religious.

2. What do Confucius's statements about Heaven suggest about his idea of the relation between Heaven and man? How does this compare with your ideas about the relation between Heaven and man or God and man in Judaism or Christianity or another religious tradition with which you are familiar?

Confucius believed that the relationship between man and Heaven is really strong. As he states “Life and death are the decree of Heaven; wealth and honor depend on Heaven,” he is saying that men depend on heaven. Their fate and the fact of life or death is issued and given like an order from heaven. If one were to look at this from another perspective, like from the Christian side, Heaven would be similar to Jesus. They believe that Jesus is what created humans and he gave all men a purpose to live.


Current Events
Keynote:

Tao of Pooh Questions


Poem Questions

Tao of Pooh Group Wiki: On Rachelle Moon's Wiki Page.


Essential Quotes

1. In Lectures on the Tao Teh Ching, Lao-Tzu says, that, "The mystery of the Mysterious is the gateway to all indescribable marvels". Does this quote have an equivalent to in Christianity? Are there other parts of the Tao Teh Ching that remind you of Christian ideals?
The quote "The mystery of the Mysterious is the gateway to all indescribable marvels" does have somewhat a relationship to the idea of heaven and God. Since Christianity revolves around the two ideas, it relates to the ideas of Tao. The quote “Heaven is long lasting and earth is enduring” also relates to the existence of heaven, as suggested by the Christian beliefs. Another quote I thought related to the Christian Ideals was “That which has no name is the origin of heaven and earth; That which has a name is the Mother of all things.” I thought so because this quote relates to the idea of God. Since God was the creator of all living things according to the Christian beliefs and God is a very special being that cannot be easily spoken upon, it related with thh quote.

2. See Passage 2, "Not honoring men....Not wanting rare things...Not paying attention..." How are does this help one understand how Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism found common ground and were not mutually exclusive belief systems?
Despite being from a Taoist document, the three quotes that are shown all derive from the beliefs and ideals of the three religions and philosophies. This comes to show the coexistence of ideas in different kinds of beliefs. The main ideals of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are shown clearly in the respective quotes. This delineates that the basic foundation for all of the beliefs are somewhat similar and have common areas.

3. In Passage 2, what do you think is meant by the lines, "relaxing the mind, reinforcing the abdomen, gentling the will, strengthening the bones"?
I think that this passage also corroborates the idea that the three beliefs do have some common ideals. The relaxation of the mind refers to the ideal of Taoism, where one should clear his mind and relieve from whatever stress. The reinforcement of the abdomen refers to the ideals of Confucianism, where one should strengthen their thoughts by meditation. Lastly, the gentling of the will and strengthening of the bones refers somewhat related to Buddhism, where one should try to focus greatly and free all desire.

4. Consider the last three entries from D.C. Lau's Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu describes government. How is this ideal different from Confucius' ideal? What present day system of government are you reminded of when you read this section? Do you think this is a good system? Explain.
This ideal focuses on how the government should have no limitations or restrictions upon its people. For example, they should not interfere with the education at all. They should just let nature do its job and flow naturally. On the other hand, Confucianism focuses on how the government should take action and serve as an example for its people. Thus, limitations should be provided under Confucianist ideals. This ideal is similar to the governments that are corrupted, and are in major civil wars. Since the government is in total chaos due to the lack of restrictions, it is really not a good idea and policy to rule upon.

5. Regarding the third treasure that Lao Tzu describes, what do you think is his message? Do you agree? What does this say about people who are ambitious?
Lao Tzu describes how one should not be selfish and desire to achieve high ranked positions or ambitious goals. He states how one should naturally achieve it, without any greed. I sort of disagree with this idea because desire is a neccessary trait in any human being. If one does not have any greed or desire, they will not focus on achieving that goal. As a result, success will be hard to come upon.


Legalism Questions


1. In Han Fei's ideal state what is the supreme governing authority, the will of the ruler or the law?
He focuses on the idea that all rulers must enforce the laws and if one does not, they will fail to contain and assure a stable nation. A country with conformers to laws will be strong, while a country with no conformers to laws will be weak and fall.

2. What are the "Two Handles" and how important are they to a legalist state? Why must the sovereign never surrender control over the two handles?
The two handles are chastisement and commendation. These are important as they set the “limits” for the people. If they do something wrong, they will get punished. On the other hand, they will be rewarded if they do something beneficial to the society. The sovereign must never surrender control over the two handles because it is what keeps the society in balance and order. Without it, crimes would increase, and the people will go into a state of panic.

3. What roles do individuality and private initiative play in Han Fei's ideal state?
Individual initiative plays tend to fade away. As a result, Han Fei’s ideal state are not fond with that idea.

4. Why do you think Legalism appealed to some people?
I think Legalism appealed to some people because it was an efficient way to keep order and peace to society. With rewards and punishment, they cancel out the somewhat out of bounds people. The idea keeps the people within a limited range.

5. Imagine a series of conversations among a Daoist, a Confucian, and a Legalist. How would each respond on the following issues: What is the purpose of good government? What role does morality play in formulating law? What are the qualities of a superior ruler? The proposition "Might makes right."
Daoist: A Daoist would say that a government is not necessary, as everything should flow with nature without any disruptions. He would also let the government to function on its own.
Confucianism: A Confucianist would say that the government should be a role model for the people, and should function with a positive note.
Legalism: A Legalist would say that the government must keep order and focus on the two handles.


Shintoism Chart:

Document 5 Questions

Be sure to answer these questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to share your answers.

1. Why might Christianity have benefited from the push towards modernization and economic
growth and eventually democracy?

Christianity might have benefited from the push towards modernization and economic growth and democracy because they were the ones who put a great effort in providing provisions for the people. As a result, the people started look at Christianity in a positive aspect. As a result, numerous people became devoted to Christianity for their good- doings.

2. What did churches offer that might have attracted followers during this time of tremendous
change in South Korea?

Churches offered numerous activities like sponsoring youth groups, Bible study classes and social events for its members, including music and sports activities. It tells its people to put effort into spreading the good, as in the religion of Christianity. Furthermore, the idea of Christianity seemed to fit and help the Korean people who are undergoing a very fast development.

At the end of this lesson you should be able to:
  • describe the emergence of the Christian community in Korea.
  • explain why Christianity gained more adherents in (South) Korea than in other East Asian nations.
To begin, create a document in which you have a chart similar to the one below. Use this as a foundation to document the information you need to record the timeline of Christianity in Korea. This goes into your wiki as the last section in preparation for your essay test.
Reading number and Title
Period being addressed
Three major (the power of three, sometimes you get two sometimes four) points drawn from this period
1. Origins of the Korean Church
Goryu-->Chosun (18th C)
1. few dozen Christian Koreans
2. Christianity was first introduced only to China and Japan, but Koreans introduced Christianity to Korea
3. Lee Sung Hoon : went to China and learned about Christianity and came back (son of Lee hyuk who found the Chinese doctrine about Christianity during Japanese invasion)
2. Growth of Christianity
Chosun
1. Buddhism was eliminated soon after Christianity was introduced because of its negative aspects.
2. Christianity replaced Buddhism and was preferred more by many people, especially women.
3. Condemned concubine for men.
3. Introduction of Protestantism, Christianity
1880~1910
1. Protestant missionary was able to legally come to Korea.
2. development of medical schools, etc
3. Continued the church's acts of translating texts to hangul.
4. Korean Christianity under Japanese occupation
1910-1945
1, Christianity bolstered Korean rebels against Japan by influencing them with ideas about democracy and freedom.
2. The Japanese government tried to eliminate the churches by burning them down, etc.
3. Japanese government enforced Koreans to worship Shintoism while the Christians resisted against this law.
5. Korean Christianity
1945-present
1. North Korea was more closed and banned religious activities despite the fact that Kim Il Sung was a devoted Christian.
2. South Korea was aided by Christianity (food shelter water, etc) and the people began to get a good image of Christianity.
3. Christianity is very prevalent within South Korea.